Welcome!
http://nsdl.comm.nsdl.org/
This special issue of NSDL Whiteboard Report previews highlights of the 007 NSDL Annual Meeting: Advancing NSDL Networks to be held November 6-8, 2007. Contents include a message from NSDL Core Integration Director Kaye Howe, an overview of the meeting by Sarah Giersch, Chair of the 2007 Annual Meeting Planning Committee, and Bookmarks to meeting-related documents and information.

NSDL Core Integration Project Manager Karen Henry at the 2006 NSDL Annual Meeting in Denver.

An Alchemy of Collaboration
Kaye Howe, Director, NSDL Core Integration
Digitally immersed as we are, our highest value still seems to be the ancient human act of seeing each other, exchanging ideas and building relationships. That value is reflected in every NSDL Annual Meeting. What we have both witnessed and participated in over these years is the alchemy of collaboration as parts come together to build a greater whole—all in the service of STEM education.

Years ago I heard Gabriel Marcel say that the difficulty for human beings is that we think we have a problem and, often, it’s a mystery. Words like “transformational” seem to resonate will all of us, but creating transformation takes hard and continuous work—work that cycles information back through an endless loop of learning, review and refinement that ultimately results in both warranted knowledge and enlightened practices. Our constant hope and belief is that the work of the entire NSDL network will continue to link classrooms to research, to see information transformed into the kind of learning that drives innovation and productive change, and that will begin to solve educational mysteries.

NSDL networks are growing. Multiple links and connections among people and organizations enable this ongoing alchemy of collaboration. There is great power in that, and we’ll all experience transformation in action next week in Arlington, Virginia at the National Science Digital Library’s Annual Meeting. I look forward to talking with many of you.

2007 NSDL Annual Meeting by the Numbers
205 Registered Attendees
73 First-time Attendees
36 NSF program officers registered
117 Projects Represented
59 Registered Posters
34 Sessions
20 Hours of scheduled meeting time
49 Hours of potential meeting time if sleep is not a factor
5 Average Number of Annual Meeting Haiku

Meeting Overview
Sarah Giersch, 2007 Annual Meeting Planning Committee, Chair
http://nsdl.comm.nsdl.org/schedule/
Over the past seven years, several metaphors have been applied to NSDL in an effort to explain what it is (many portals; one portal; different parts of an elephant). Then there are the metaphors that explain how we’re getting there (building an airplane while flying, etc.). The plethora of metaphors persists in part because the people who have contributed to building NSDL proceed from a diverse range of disciplines, experiences, and motivations. Advancing NSDL Networks is appropriate, then, as meeting theme and also as metaphor describing not just what NSDL is (a distributed digital library of science and math resources) and where it’s headed (to continue advancing STEM education and research) but how we get there: through a network of partnerships that connects researchers to teachers and learners and that supports NSDL users in becoming NSDL contributors, who individually strengthen and add value to the whole NSDL network.

The 2007 NSDL Annual Meeting was organized to reflect the diverse activities and needs of the projects funded under NSF’s NSDL program. Meeting sessions are organized in 30-, 60-, and 90-minute blocks, which allow topics to be explored in varying depths (e.g., updates, panel presentations, or workshops). A new session-type was added this year. The five-minute Lightning Talk is a fast-paced, informal way to provide information or pose a question around focused topics.

Themes
Also, in the program and online schedule, sessions are classified according to themes that suggested themselves during the proposal review process: content, technology, outreach, sustainability, evaluation, metadata, and project updates. Sessions are organized by theme or track throughout the meeting, which means it is possible to stay in one room and learn everything there is to know about the technology or metadata or evaluation or outreach activities occurring throughout NSDL projects. But we hope you won’t do that.

Face-to-Face
Networking (the social type) has always been a high priority at NSDL meetings. To maximize attendees’ time, breakfast (eggs and bacon, not just pastry and fruit) and lunch (wraps and hot deli sandwiches) are provided along with plenty of breaks (caffeine and cookies). Networking of the technical type is facilitated by free wireless in the poster room and lobby.

One of the most highly rated sessions from previous Annual Meetings is the poster session. These two-hour free-for-alls have the energy of a dog park on a crisp fall day. The intensity will only be heightened with the possible advent of the 36 NSF program officers registered to attend and with the definite appearance of hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. Posters will remain available for quieter perusal through Wednesday at 3:00 pm.

Plenary Session
Which brings us to the opening session. This is the only plenary session, and at just 45 minutes, will include presentations from: Cora Marrett, Assistant Director, Directorate for Education and Human Resources, National Science Foundation; Linda Slakey, Division Director, Division of Undergraduate Education, National Science Foundation; Lee Zia, Program Director, Division of Undergraduate Education, National Science Foundation, and; Kaye Howe, Director, NSDL Core Integration

I have been poring over session proposals for five months now, and I am excited about each presentation. I think the program and poster session highlight the exciting activities occurring across all NSDL projects. Use the documents below to plan your time—and have fun!

Kudos to the Committee and to the National Science Foundation
Speaking of, I would like to thank the members of the Annual Meeting Planning Committee. Their hard work, experience and insight have helped bring this meeting to fruition. This truly is the most fun committee I have ever served on.

Finally, when organizing the program, it was interesting to note that a preponderance of projects’ work is occurring around outreach and evaluation activities, while at the same time, work in such infrastructure areas as technology, metadata and content is being scaled for wider use. While innovative work in all areas continues, this meeting program reveals a set of projects whose collective energy is poised, ready for the next step.

As always, NSDL would like to thank the National Science Foundation for its generous support and advocacy.

2007 NSDL Annual Meeting Planning Committee
Cathy Lowe, Content Standing Committee
Anne Diekema, Education Impact & Evaluation Standing Committee
Rachael Bower, Policy Committee
Lois McLean, Sustainability Standing Committee
Jeremy Frumkin, Technology Standing Committee
Lutishoor Salisbury, NSDL Member-at-Large
Sharon Clark, Donna Cummings, Sarah Giersch (chair), Robert Payo, NSDL Core Integration

Schedule Overview
Westin Arlington, 801 North Glebe Road, Arlington, Virginia 22203
Phone: (703) 717-6200

Tuesday, November 6
3:00-5:00: Poster Setup
5:00-5:45: Opening Plenary Session
6:00-8:00: Poster Reception

Wednesday, November 7
7:30-8:30: Breakfast
8:30 - 5:30: Meeting sessions
5:30-8:00: Rooms available for additional meetings

Thursday, November 8
7:30-8:30: Breakfast
8:30-11:30: Meeting sessions
11:30-12:30: Lunch provided; meeting adjourns at 12:30
12:30-4:00: Rooms available for additional meetings